After dinner, Lu Xiao and Ares left the hotel. Ben noticed the pair and came up to them with a smile. "Heading out? I suggest you go toss a coin at the fountain statue in the square. They say it really grants wishes!"

"Thank you, we’ll go take a look later," Lu Xiao said, accepting his kind suggestion.

Smiling, Lu Xiao held Ares’s hand as they walked away from the hotel. The sun had halfway set, but its afterglow still lingered. Many children were playing by the street, creating a wonderful atmosphere.

For some reason, the place felt exceptionally peaceful and serene, as if the frantic pace of life had slowed to a crawl.

’This is a place where you can really take the time to enjoy life.’

Suddenly, a chubby little toddler tumbled down right at Lu Xiao’s feet, startling her. Just as she was about to help him up, his Father ran over. "So sorry to bother you! Don’t mind him. This little one loves to stage a fall whenever he sees a beautiful lady. How embarrassing."

Lu Xiao hadn’t realized it wasn’t an accident but a premeditated ploy. She couldn’t help but laugh. "He already knows how to do that at his age?"

She reached out and patted the little one’s head. ’It’s so fluffy.’

After playing with the chubby toddler for a moment, Lu Xiao and Ares continued on their way.

After they had gone, the little one’s Father picked him up. "You little rascal, you sure are lucky. Do you know who that was? That was Lady Lu Xiao! And she even patted your head. We’re not washing your hair tonight!"

Lu Xiao and Ares walked down the street from their hotel and soon found the square Ben had mentioned. In the center stood the statue of a deity. Lu Xiao didn’t recognize the god, but that didn’t stop her and Ares from tossing in a coin, just as Ben had suggested.

When the coin fell into the water with a PLONK, it floated back to the surface.

Lu Xiao quickly pressed her palms together to make a wish.

When she was done, she turned to Ares. "What did you wish for?"

"I wished for you to always be happy."

Lu Xiao’s eyes curved into crescents as she smiled sweetly. "Mine was similar! I wished that we would always be safe, happy, healthy, and grow old together!"

Hearing those last three words, Ares was infected by her joy and broke into a brilliant smile.

After making their wishes, the two went to the beach, where many people were enjoying themselves on the sand.

Lu Xiao took off her shoes, and Ares immediately took them from her.

They held hands and strolled along the beach, feeling a rare sense of peace and relaxation.

This, perhaps, was the true meaning of travel: to let time slow down, to feel a warmth and relaxation that was impossible to find in daily life.

Most importantly, it allowed one to enjoy the scenery of the present moment.

After dark, Flower Sea Star transformed into a completely different vista.

Lu Xiao and Ares wandered around for a long time. On their way back, Ares bent down. "Hop on!"

Lu Xiao didn’t refuse. Her legs were exhausted. Climbing onto Ares’s broad back, she wrapped her arms around his neck. "Ares, am I heavy?"

Her slight weight was nothing to Ares.

"Not at all," Ares answered truthfully.

Lu Xiao smiled, pressing her cheek against his. "Ares, this is the first time anyone has ever carried me on their back like this!"

"Mm, and it’s my first time carrying anyone!"

As he said this, they exchanged a look, their eyes filled with laughter.

’For some reason,’ Lu Xiao thought, ’I’m so glad I met Ares in this world!’

Ares didn’t put Lu Xiao down until they were back in their hotel room. He was about to straighten up when, in the next instant, she pulled him down and kissed him.

"That’s your reward," Lu Xiao said, letting him go. But Ares leaned in to kiss her again. "This reward isn’t enough. I want more of you, Xiao Xiao." 𝐟𝚛𝕖𝚎𝕨𝗲𝐛𝚗𝐨𝐯𝐞𝕝.𝐜𝗼𝗺

He was no longer the same Ares from the beginning, who could be satisfied with just a little affection from Lu Xiao.

He had become greedy, craving everything she had to give.

It was destined to be another intimate, sleepless night.

*

「Meanwhile.」

During Lu Xiao and Ares’s honeymoon, work at the laboratory never ceased.

Teacher Ai Li and Admiral Hans came to the lab every day to check on the progress. The moment Admiral Hans arrived today, he sensed that the atmosphere was off. He couldn’t help but feel a little nervous. "What’s happened?"

The lead scientist, Dr. Mark, saw him and said, "We’re waiting for a result. If it comes back positive, our formula will be a success!"

Hearing this, Admiral Hans asked in surprise, "What do you mean? I thought the experiments were stalled."

"That’s right. We were stalled because we couldn’t get this result. Just wait a little longer. Don’t get anxious, and don’t say a word. Or better yet, join us in praying."

Admiral Hans froze at the word "praying." Before he could even ask what Dr. Mark meant, he saw the doctor lead a group of lab researchers in bowing low before the instrument. They were literally praying to it.

Admiral Hans never imagined scientists would be so superstitious, but he bowed along with them.

’I have no idea what the principle behind this is, but it’s best to go with the flow right now, just to fit in. More importantly, what if the results are bad? They might blame me for not being sincere enough! I can’t take the fall for that!’

And so, they "prayed" for a good twenty minutes before the instrument finally let out a series of beeps.

Admiral Hans had never found that sound so beautiful.

’If I’d had to keep bowing,’ he thought, ’my old back would have given out.’

Dr. Mark paid him no mind. The moment he heard the alert, he and his researchers immediately opened the instrument and retrieved the test report.

He held it up with both hands, excited and reverent, and carefully examined the results.

His expression twitched, his eyes grew bloodshot, and he finally burst into ecstatic laughter. "HAHAHA! HAHAHAHA! We did it! We succeeded! We’ve found a way to preserve B-cell activity! The Spirit Sea Disorder that has plagued males for years will finally end with us!"

Admiral Hans latched onto that last sentence. "Really? Did we succeed, Dr. Mark?"

Dr. Mark nodded, hugging Admiral Hans in his excitement. "We did it! We did it, Admiral Hans! I didn’t let everyone down! Hahaha, this is wonderful, just wonderful! We can finally give Lady Lu Xiao a proper report!"

Admiral Hans nodded vigorously. "We finally succeeded! This is fantastic news! Thank you, thank you, Dr. Mark! Thank you so much!"

"No, no, no, I’m the one who should be thanking you! Thank you for choosing me and giving me this chance to make history! I can’t believe I actually succeeded... *sob*..."

Overcome with emotion, Dr. Mark finally broke down in tears.

Admiral Hans completely understood how he felt, because he couldn’t hold back his own tears either. Even as he comforted Dr. Mark, he was secretly wiping his eyes.